Blends

@Marcus, since you titled this discussion very generically, do you mind if we use it for a much wider-ranging discussion of blends? The reason I ask is that I would like to have such a conversation, and this title is the logical name for it. Also, do you mean to include only Scottish blends here, or all malt whiskies blended with "grain whiskies" from whichever nation of origin? (I am guessing that you are not meaning to include blended Canadian whisky here.)

I just reviewed Clan MacGregor, like it, and consider it sippable. I must be one of the few people in this club who hasn't tried Teacher's Highland Cream yet (I assume that is the Teacher's you mean, since it is the widely available one). I am looking forward to having some, since it is widely liked. In the near future I will make some more posts on this discussion regarding blends.

@Victor My primary focus here was Scottish blends. I am not a fan of the Canadian whiskies, so I didn't really consider them. I enjoy bourbon both on the rocks and neat, and was looking for a Scotch blend that was relatively inexpensive, tasty, and could be enjoyed both neat and over ice. The Teacher's Highland Cream, to me, is a bit smoother than Clan. I do find Clan to be a bit "rough", with some alcohol burn. The Teacher's, not to use a pun, is creamier and smoother. I find both to be quite drinkable, and would like to explore some of the blends further, mainly the "inexpensive" blends.

@Marcus, try the Grant's Family Reserve, Black Grouse, JW Black, Gold, and (blended malt) Green. JW Gold isn't cheap, but it IS good. I haven't tried any of these over ice. Bailie Nicol Jarvie is very popular too, but if your are in N. America, you probably can't get your hands on any.

@Victor I've had the JW Black and really liked it, but really enjoy it neat with just a teaspoon of water. It's got enough smokiness and complexity to stand all on its own. I have yet to sample the Gold and Green, and I just won't drink Red. Grant's is definitely one on the list to try, and I'd like to give Ballantine's a sample. What is your opinion of Famous Grouse? And, yes, I am in Louisiana, so Bailie Nicol Jarvie is unavailable here.

@Marcus, it has been a very long time since I had any standard Famous Grouse, so I'd have to try it again to get a fresh perspective. At the time it didn't draw me at all. I bet you'll like that JW Green, though it is a "blended malt". Large numbers of Connosrs like the Green and the Gold the best of the bunch of JWs. Green is being discontinued within 2 years or so. I've already picked up a couple of extra bottles. I personally don't care for standard Ballantine's, but the much more expensive Ballantine's 17 yo (Murray's 2011 Whisky of the Year) is quite something. One other I haven't had but would like to try is Black and White. It gets some good reviews.

Besides the Blends @victor already mentioned I would recommend Black Bull 12 ( and the 40 which is in Blue Label territory but both batches are excellent and it is a vatted malt), Black Bottle as a decent Islay Blend, Big Peat by Douglas Laing and Sheep Dip - especially the wounderful Sheep Dip 1990 Old Hebridian which contains 19 year old Dalmore, 21 year old Fettercairn, and 25 year old Ardbeg.  Other Blends I really enjoy are Hibiki 12,17 and 21 and especially the 12 is good value for money - they used japanese plum wood for maturation. One of the cheapest blends and a very nice Sipper is Te Bheag which is always in my cabinet . Compass Box has created Great King Street's Artist Blend, a decent Blend not only for mixing but also for sipping .My last recommendation would be The Naked Grouse - very modern Blend but I really enjoyed it.

If you leave the path of the big names you can find some very interesting Blends which good to excellent quality - and fun. One last word... if you ever come across a Johnnie Walker RED from the 1960's or even 1970's try it and you're in a hell of a show...

Bailie Nicol Jarvie would be the one I'd recommend too - it's so lovely. But my bar whisky is Black Bottle. It's one of the few drams I flat out prefer with water, which helps keep me from disaster, but it's also very pleasing. Worth a look, i think.

Very nice conversation! Personally I would suggest two blends that haven't been mentioned yet, although neither are from Scotland.. Jameson 12yr and Nikka from the Barrel, both are very fine drams! I opened my bottle of BNJ lately and I would like to let it breath a little before judging it. To conclude I would like to elect JW Black as the king of blends. Great consistency, fairly complex and a lot of fun. It never fails to deliver at a very fair price.

I have to concur with JW Black being the king of blends. Sadly though so many of the blends mentioned here are not available in my part of the United States, no Bailie Nicole Jarvie, no Te Bheag, no Naked Grouse, oh well.

@Marcus i agree with @Victor, just had a couple glasses of johnny walker green for the first time and its very good stuff, if i didn't have to drive home i would have finished the bottle. I also like Grants family reserve which is very inexpensive and taste good to.

All : greatly appreciate your comments and suggestions!! Now I shall make my merry way to the store and purchase a couple new blends!! Probably going to be at least one bottle of JW, Sheep Dip, and some Grant's. Also have been trying some bourbons which I don't normally have. I prefer my bourbon neat, but again, here in New Orleans in the summer, I just have to have something on the rocks, and I hate to dilute something really big and flavorful like Pappy or Booker's. Been drinking Evan Williams Green (a very inexpensive bourbon, but great for mixers), Ancient Age (definitely notice the Buffalo Trace influences) and Old Taylor 6 Year Old.

@Marcus

Those bourbon's are good on some ice, easy to drink. If you can find the Ancient Ancient Age 10yr, I highly recommend it. I too like the regular AA, but the AAA is really great as well. As for blended scotches, JW does indeed make some nice ones, black is a good place to start, not too expensive. As another mentioned, they have discontinued the Green (in the process), and I thought I heard that Gold was being phased out. I like Famous Grouse, Black Bottle, and JW Black for blends, occasionally Cutty Sark as well, it has a little citrusy note to it which I don't find in too many other scotches.

JW Black is not all that cheap really. You pay for the brand. Add a bit extra $ and get single malt already. For me blend king is Bushmills Black Bush. Not the cheapest out there, but it's gorgeous.

I can't state enough that Big Peat is phenomenal. I feel it's often overlooked because the label is silly but oh boy is that a wrong move.

@Max - Bushmills Black is a very nice sherried one and I would also recommend this one. You are right that one can find decent Malts for JW Black money (e.g. the excellent BenRiach 12 Sherry Versions or Talisker to name two examples) but Blends are often misunderstood - they are composed to appeal to a broad audience and usually do not offer "in your face" experiences and compared to Single Malts the first Impression is more understated but if you give them time to explore their layered composition good Blends offer a complexity which few Malts are able to match. By the way I must admit that I have a sweet spot for Johnnie Walker Black and the discontinued Green and Gold Label 18 which are all three masterpieces of the art of blending.

If you can get hold of them, Compass Box have produced some exceptional blended whiskies, blended malts, and a blended grain: all reasonably priced.

@jasonbstanding...I can vouch for the awesomeness that is the Spice Tree, a variety of baking spices in a blended malt that is a great experience.

As for a blended whisky...I will always have a good word for Te Bheag, one that I always describe as Talisker and grain whisky crossed with a sherry cask...simply wonderful!